Tag Archives: bicycle

At the Front – American Velodrome Challenge

At the Front - American Velodrome Challenge

At the Front – American Velodrome Challenge. Hellyer Park Velodrome, San Jose, California. June 26, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Two track riders at the front of the group and coming out of a turn in front of the stands – American Velodrome Challenge, Hellyer Park, San Jose, California.

I’m curious… there were quite a few other photographers at this event. Has anyone seen any other photographs from them yet?

This is yet another in the recent “motion blur photographs of bicycle track racing” series. To add one note to this series – it occurred to me today that these are a type of night photography. I do quite a bit of night photography, though it is usually the more typical tripod-based stuff. However, these images were made in lighting conditions not all that different from some of my urban night photo work.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: bike, bicycle, racing, track, velodrome, national, professional, san jose, california, usa, two, rider, racer, competitor, sprint, bank, curve, turn, santa clara, county, hellyer, park, night, pack, group, peloton, american, challenge, stock

At the Starting Line – American Velodrome Challenge

At the Starting Line - American Velodrome Challenge

At the Starting Line – American Velodrome Challenge. Hellyer Park Velodrome, San Jose, California. June 26, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Intense concentration on the faces of riders waiting at the starting line for their event to begin.

This is a close up shot of a group of riders at the starting line just seconds away from starting their qualifying heat in the keirin event at the American Velodrome Challenge. For those who aren’t familiar with bicycle track racing, in the keirin the first few laps feature the riders drafting behind a motorcycle. After the motorcycle brings the riders up to speed it drops away and a very intense sprint follows. In the photograph the riders can probably hear the motorcycle approaching from behind – as it passes they will take off.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: bike, bicycle, racing, track, velodrome, national, professional, san jose, california, usa, start, starting, line, wait, concentration, intense, sun, glasses, arms, helmets, rider, competitor, cyclist, racer, event, keirin, hellyer, park, santa clara, county, qualifier, preliminary, event, stock

The Sprint – American Velodrome Challenge

The Sprint - American Velodrome Challenge

The Sprint – American Velodrome Challenge. Hellyer Park Velodrome, San Jose, California. June 26, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

The pack in the sprint at the night races of the American Velodrome Challenge at the Hellyer Park Velodrome, San Jose, California.

Here is something a bit different – nighttime elite-level bicycle track racing. On Friday I went to the evening events of the American Velodrome Challenge at Hellyer Park Velodrome in San Jose, California. I had a flash, but I decided that it would be more interesting to play with motion blur and shoot the pack close up at high ISO (up to 3200) and slow shutter speeds.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: bike, bicycle, racing, track, velodrome, national, professional, san jose, california, usa, santa clara, county, motion, speed, blur, rider, racer, cyclist, pack, peloton, sprint, sports, bissel, helmet, fixed gear, fixte, stock, action, speed

Floyd Landis, 2009 Amgen Tour of California

Floyd Landis, 2009 Amgen Tour of California

Floyd Landis, 2009 Amgen Tour of California. Sacramento, California. February 14, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

(See more of my 2009 Tour of California photos.)

Ouch Team rider Floyd Landis warms up on the course for the prologue stage of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California bicycle race in Sacramento, California.

This photograph was made during the warm up period an hour or so before the start of the prologue time trial of the Tour of California in Sacramento, California. I picked a corner with good angles and good light and had a chance to shoot many of the competitors as they came though this second of two closely-spaced turns. Floyd Landis is a bit of a controversial figure in professional cycling – he is either a “bad boy” or a victim, depending upon your point of view. Landis won, in what seemed like heroic fashion, the Tour of France a few years ago – only to be disqualified after doping charges which he fought vociferously and publicly. In the end he lost his yellow jersey in the tour and was suspended from cycling for a period… and he also had orthopedic surgery on his damaged hip. Now he is back, and it will be very interesting to see what he can accomplish.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: floyd, landis, team, ouch, red, black, white, prologue, time trial, warm up, course, amgen, 2009, tour, of, california, pro, professional, bicycle, bike, race, road, stage, lean, crouch, turn, course, sacramento, usa, sports, stock